Police: Alleged UNH assault was not random

By Gretyl MacalasterUnion Leader Correspondent

DURHAM - An alleged assault at the University of New Hampshire on Wednesday night was not random, according to police.

A campus-wide alert was issued after a student reported that two men had allegedly assaulted him in a parking lot around 9:15 p.m. on Wednesday and tried to take his backpack. The student suffered only minor injuries and did not require medical treatment.

Police said in the course of the investigation they learned the male student knew the alleged assailants, who are not UNH students. Police also said there is no cause for concern about further attacks.

UNH police are still investigating the nature of the relationship between the alleged victim and the two alleged assailants.

"The safety and well-being of our students, faculty, staff and campus visitors is our number one priority," UNH Police Chief Paul Dean said. "As we uncovered information, we felt it was important to let the community know this was not a random incident. While people should always be aware of their surroundings and take safety precautions, there is no cause for alarm."